Sports
Ilia Malinin rises to pressure of Team USA's golden hopes
Gold medalist Ilia Malinin of the United States celebrates after winning the team figure skating event at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics MILAN, Italy — Ilia Malinin stepped onto the ice knowing figure skating’s Olympic team event hinged on him – and then delivered just enough to haul the United States past Japan and onto the top step of the podium at the Milano Cortina Games.
Italy, feeding off a roaring home crowd, claimed a hard-earned bronze.
The U.S. and Japan were deadlocked heading into the men’s free skate on Sunday night, leaving the 21-year-old double world champion shouldering the Americans’ golden hopes.
A day earlier, he had stumbled to a surprise second place in the short program.
“Being a tie, I was like, okay, I’m the deciding factor,” Malinin said. “I need to just do what I need to do, go out there, but also test the ice again, just to see how it feels, to really prepare myself for my individual event,” he said.
“But it really came down to the energy, the support, the passion for my whole team. Without them, I don’t think we would have gotten this medal.”
As the first skater ever to land seven quadruple jumps in a program, many at the Milano Ice Skating Arena anticipated a repeat performance on Sunday.
Instead, the self-named “Quad God” looked unusually mortal.
He landed four of his seven planned quad jumps cleanly. He turned two — including the quadruple Axel, a jump only he has ever landed in competition — into triples, and bobbled the landing on another in a program that looked, for a moment, as though it might unravel.
His 200.03 points were nearly 40 off his best, yet still untouchable for Japan’s Shun Sato, who scored 194.86.
His unique free program had the crowd roaring. Entitled “A Voice,” it features his own voice playing over the soundtrack, with philosophical lines such as “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing” and “Embrace the storm.”
Fitting, considering Malinin, who has appeared so carefree throughout his meteoric career, said he underestimated the enormity of the Olympic stage.
“I didn’t really understand the impact of the Olympic environment,” he said. “I was kind of more in shock of really just being at the Olympics for the first time.
“So I really just told myself, okay, now you’ve experienced it for the very first time. So, now the long program, you can come in with a different mindset, a different energy.”
Malinin was also thrilled by the presence of tennis great Novak Djokovic, who leapt to his feet when the American unleashed his trademark backflip, an element that receives no marks but delights the fans.
“I did see Djokovic there, and it was, honestly, just so unreal,” Malinin said, with a wide grin. “I’ve heard from everyone that after I landed my back flip, he (was) standing there with his hands on his head.
“Like oh, my God. That’s incredible. That’s like a once-in-a-lifetime moment just seeing a famous tennis player watching my performance.”
The young skater has little time to rest, with the short program of the individual event on Tuesday, followed by the free skate on Friday.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (back) exits after one inning
May 6, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow was removed after pitching one inning against the host Houston Astros on Wednesday with low back pain.
Glasnow allowed a first-inning home run to Brice Matthews and attempted to return in the second. After several warmup pitches, Glasnow, 32, motioned for trainers, who along with manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game.
Glasnow’s first-inning strikeout of Yordan Alvarez was the 1,000th of his career.
A 2024 All-Star with Los Angeles, Glasnow was 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA entering his seventh start this season. He signed a five-year, $136.5 million contract before the 2024 season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to skip Preakness
Trainer Cherie DeVaux, in red jacket at left, helps lift the Kentucky Derby trophy with Daisy Phipps Pulito (representing Phipps Stable) and Vincent Viola (of St. Elias Stable) after Golden Tempo won the 2026 Kentucky Derby. May 2, 2026. For the second consecutive year, the Kentucky Derby winner will not run in the Preakness Stakes, as Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux announced Wednesday the horse will skip the second leg of the Triple Crown and compete in the Belmont Stakes next month.
“Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort,” DeVaux wrote in a statement posted to X.
Golden Tempo was a 23-1 long shot on Saturday but made a late charge down the stretch to edge out favorite Renegade. The victory made DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.
Last year, Sovereignty passed on the Preakness, and many trainers feel is too close to the Kentucky Derby — two weeks apart — and makes it difficult to keep a horse healthy for big races in the summer and fall.
The Preakness will be held May 16 at Laurel Park south of Baltimore, due to Pimlico undergoing a grandstand renovation. Pimlico is scheduled to host the 2027 Preakness.
As of Wednesday afternoon, none of the 19 horses who participated in the Kentucky Derby have committed to compete in the Preakness.
The Belmont is slated for June 6 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., due to ongoing construction at the main Belmont Park facility on Long Island, N.Y.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lakers G Luka Doncic frustrated and unsure of return
Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) stands on the court during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic broke his silence Wednesday about the hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined since early April.
He told reporters at the team hotel in Oklahoma City he doesn’t know when he can rejoin the Lakers, who lost 108-90 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Thunder on Tuesday night.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said. “I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I want to do is play basketball, especially this time. It’s the best time to play basketball.
“It’s very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough to just to sit and watch them play.”
Doncic, 27, sustained the Grade 2 strain in his left hamstring five weeks ago on April 2 in Oklahoma City. He missed the last five games of the regular season and sat out the six-game first-round playoff series win against the Houston Rockets.
“The day I did the MRI on the hamstring, the doctor told me eight weeks (recovery) at the beginning,” Doncic said. “I’m doing everything I can in the process, and I think we’re on a good way. But at the beginning, he told me eight weeks.”
Doncic averaged a league-high 33.5 points with 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in 64 games (all starts) in the regular season.
The six-time All-Star guard was noncommittal when asked about his potential return later in this series, with Game 3 set for Saturday in Los Angeles.
“I’m just doing everything I can,” said Doncic, who has started running but has not participated in any contact drills. “Every day, I’m doing stuff I’m supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I’m working. … Just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”
Doncic said he has been proceeding with caution during his recovery, which included traveling to Spain to receive platelet-rich plasma therapy.
“It’s a tough one for me because I came back from injuries before too soon, and it wasn’t the best result,” Doncic said. “You have to be very careful, and I’m doing everything to come back. All the recovery, the (hyperbaric) chamber, cold tub, everything I can to come back, but it’s obviously very different than other injuries I had.”
–Field Level Media
Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (back) exits after one inning
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to skip Preakness
